Cylinder lock

ABSTRACT

A cylinder lock comprising an outer cylindrical casing, a cylindrical inner member rotatably mounted within the outer casing, and adjustable pins extending diametrically through the inner cylindrical member and into the outer cylindrical casing, the adjustment of the pins being effected by screwing them into a spiral spring surrounding a threaded portion of the pins, actuation of the lock being effected by a key inserted therein and acting upon a projecting straight end of the spiral spring to thereby move the pins through the cylindrical inner member and into and out of the outer cylindrical casing.

[ Apr. 10, 1973 CYLINDER LOCK 2,l94,469 3/1940 Fremon X 2,232,017 2/1941 Wilder..... .................70/378X [76] lnvcntorz- Benito Di Mona, via Parmenide l30,

Salerno, Italy Primary Examiner--Robert L. Wolfe Attorney-Ernest A. Greenside [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1971 A cylinder lock comprising an outer cylindrical casing, a cylindrical inner member rotatably mounted within the outer casing, and adjustable pins extending diametrically through the inner cylindrical member and into the outer cylindrical casing, the adjustment of the pins being effected by screwing them into a spiral spring surrounding a threaded portion of the pins, actuation of the lock being effected by a key inserted therein and acting upon a projecting straight end of the spiral spring to thereby move the pins through the cylindrical inner member and into and out of the outer cylindrical casing.

T W 1 7 5 [a W mg 54 6 2 .0 m s n m ME4 [968 m n 0433 m 71w 2 m m 57.8 n 103 o m b" m m mwmn m NE W C n m 2 a 2 m m mmrn m .w mm" e M H m "um6 u 8 W uflfl d m A 0 R m O I u m d I F d w t smm A m U-IF 1 1]] 1 1 O 2 8 6 2 3 555 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,917,302 X 6 Claims, 3 Drawing figures CYLINDER LGCK This invention relates to a cylinder lock provided with diametrically extending adjustable pins.

Cylinder locks are generally known and it is not necessary to describe them here in detail. Such cylinder locks are provided with a key having the combination of the stop pins of the lock.

It is also known that such keys can be easily imitated and this constitutes a serious drawback especially if one of the keys is lost.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate this drawback by providing a cylinder lock which can be adjusted according to the ciphering of a given key so that several locks may be standardized for actuation by only one key and also a lost key of a lock can be easily replaced.

To achieve this object the invention provides a cylinder lock in which the pins serving for locking the cylinder with respect to the outer casing are adjustable. This adjustment is effected by screwing the pins into and out of a spiral spring which serves for mounting the plllS.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cylinder lock in which the cylindrical diametrically extending pins have a length substantially corresponding to the diameter of the cylindrical member in which they are movably mounted in appropriate holes so that in the retracted position of the pins the cylindrical member may be withdrawn from the outer casing in which the cylindrical member is rotatably mounted.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cylinder lock in which the parallel spaced diametrical pins extend normal to the axis of the cylindrical member and have an outwardly threaded portion serving to secure them in the aperture formed by the spirals of a spiral spring having radially outwardly extending straight ends which transmit to the pins the movement produced by the notches of the key. Helical springs surrounding and extending coaxially with the pins serve to keep the pins in their normal retracted position.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a longitudinal section through the cylinder lock according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the lock partly in'section, and

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the lock.

Referring to FIG. 1, a cylinder lock with diametrically adjustable pins according to the invention substantially comprises an outer cylindrical casing 1 adapted to be secured in position by mounting lugs 2 provided on its outside, and a cylindrical inner member 3 rotatably mounted within the outer cylindrical casing l and adapted to be secured thereto and to a support 4 by appropriate screw mounting means including a square locking washer 5 and a locking screw 6 which screws into a threaded recess 7 in the cylindrical inner member 3.

Mounted in the cylindrical inner member 3 are parallel spaced pins 8 which are diametrically adjustable and movably mounted in holes 9 in the member 3. The pins 8 are circular in cross section and have a central threaded portion 10 which serves for mounting them in the spirals ll of spiral springs 12 having transversely extending ends 13 and 14 which fit into the notches of a key inserted in the lock through a keyhole 15 and transmit the movement of the key to the spiral springs 12. Helical springs 16 of smaller diameter and pitch than the spiral springs 12 extend coaxially with the pins 8 adjacent the spiral springs 12 and surround the pins 8 to keep them in their normal retracted position.

A radially inwardly extending sleeve 17 is mounted in the cylindrical inner member 3 adjacent each pin 8 at the end thereof surrounded by the helical spring 16 to facilitate the movement of the pins 8 in the holes 9 in the inner cylindrical member 3 in which the radial sleeves 17 are inserted. The sleeves 17 also serve as abutments for one end of the helical springs 16, the other end thereof being supported by the end of the central threaded portion 10 which has a slightly larger diameter than the portion of the pins 8 surrounded by the helical springs 16.

The inner cylindrical member 3 is provided with appropriate apertures 18 to permit movement and stopping of the ends 13 and 14 of the spiral springs 12 mounted on the pins 8. The apertures 18 may be partially closed by insert members such as 19 adapted to be inserted in the inner cylindrical member 3 at the apertures 18.

When the key is inserted in the keyhole 15 of the lock the end 13 of the spiral spring 12 is lifted and thereby the associated diametrically extending pin 8 is lifted, too. When the pin 8 has been aligned correctly with its associated hole 9 in the inner cylindrical member 3 the pin enters the hole 9 and does not leave it.

Adjustment of the pins 8 is very simple: After the key has been inserted in the keyhole 15 the pins 8 can be screwed down into the aperture formed by the spirals 11 of the spiral springs 12 by inserting a screwdriver through the holes 9 in the cylindrical member 3 into a slot formed on the end of each pin 8. Thus, by screwing down and unscrewing the pins 8 the spiral springs 12 can be adjusted until they are in the required position.

When the key is inserted in the lock the various members accommodated in the inner cylindrical member 8 i.e., the pins 8, spiral springs 12, helical springs 16 and sleeves I7, are firmly connected with the inner cylindrical member 8 so that the latter can be easily withdrawn from and reinserted into the outer cylindrical casing ll, if desired.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications may be made therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A cylinder lock comprising an outer cylindrical casing adapted to be secured in position by mounting lugs provided on its outside;

a cylindrical inner member rotatably mounted within said outer cylindrical casing and adapted to be secured thereto and to a support by appropriate screw mounting means;

parallel spaced adjustable pins extending diametrically through said cylindrical inner member and into said outer cylindrical casing and movable into and out of holes provided therein;

said pins having a central threaded portion surrounded by spiral springs and an adjacent end portion of smaller diameter surrounded by helical springs normally keeping said pins in a retracted position;

said spiral springs having radially outwardly extending straight ends adapted to be engaged by a key inserted in the lock to move said pins radially through said cylindrical inner member into and out of said outer cylindrical casing;

the adjustment of said pins being effected by screwing them into and out of said spiral springs.

2. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said diametrically extending adjustable pins are movably mounted in sleeves inserted in said holes in said inner cylindrical member, said sleeves serving also as abutments for one end of said helical springs whose other end is supported on the end face of said central threaded portion of said pins.

3. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner cylindrical member is provided with apertures to permit movement and stopping of the radially outwardly extending straight ends of said spiral springs and said apertures are partially closed by appropriate insert members.

4. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjustable pins have a cylindrical shape in cross section and extend through said cylindrical inner member over a length substantially corresponding to the diameter of said cylindrical inner member so that in the retracted position of said pins said cylindrical inner member can be withdrawn from said outer cylindrical casing.

5. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein said adjustable pins are so arranged that when the key is inserted in the keyhole of the lock said pins do not leave said inner cylindrical member and all members accommodated in the latter are retainted therein to permit withdrawal of said inner cylindrical member from said outer cylindrical casing and adjustment of said pins.

6. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 5, wherein said pins are arranged for adjustment by inserting a screwdriver through said holes in the outer cylindrical casing and said sleeves in said holes in the inner cylindrical member and rotating said pins within said spiral springs. 

1. A cylinder lock comprising an outer cylindrical casing adapted to be secured in position by mounting lugs provided on its outside; a cylindrical inner member rotatably mounted within said outer cylindrical casing and adapted to be secured thereto and to a support by appropriate screw mounting means; parallel spaced adjustable pins extending diametrically through said cylindrical inner member and into said outer cylindrical casing and movable into and out of holes provided therein; said pins having a central threaded portion surrounded by spiral springs and an adjacent end portion of smaller diameter surrounded by helical springs normally keeping said pins in a retracted position; said spiral springs having radially outwardly extending straight ends adapted to be engaged by a key inserted in the lock to move said pins radially through said cylindrical inner member into and out of said outer cylindrical casing; the adjustment of said pins being effected by screwing them into and out of said spiral springs.
 2. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said diametrically extending adjustable pins are movably mounted in sleeves inserted in said holes in said inner cylindrical member, said sleeves serving also as abutments for one end of said helical springs whose other end is supported on the end face of said central threaded portion of said pins.
 3. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner cylindrical member is provided with apertures to permit movement and stopping of the radially outwardly extending straight ends of said spiral springs and said apertures are partially closed by appropriate insert members.
 4. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjustable pins have a cylindrical shape in cross section and extend through said cylindrical inner member over a length substantially corresponding to the diameter of said cylindrical inner member so that in the retracted position of said pins said cylindrical inner member can be withdrawn from said outer cylindrical casing.
 5. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein said adjustable pins are so arranged that when the key is inserted in the keyhole of the lock said pins do not leave said inner cylindrical member and all members accommodated in the latter are retainted therein to permit withdrawal of said inner cylindrical member from said outer cylindrical casing and adjustment of said pins.
 6. A cylinder lock as claimed in claim 5, wherein said pins are arranged for adjustment by inserting a screwdriver through said holes in the outer cylindrical casing and said sleeves in said holes in the inner cylindrical member and rotating said pins within said spiral springs. 